Assad Re-elected in a Disputed Election

In presidential elections held on June 3, 2014, Assad was re-elected to a third seven-year term, taking about 89% of the vote. However, votes were cast only in areas under government control as the opposition boycotted the election. President Obama and many other western leaders denounced the election as illegitimate.

Days after the election, Assad said he would grant amnesty to prisoners involved in the uprising who have been detained for "all crimes other than terrorism." It was not clear when they would be released and if the declaration would apply to members of the opposition, who Assad has referred to as terrorists.

Syria handed over the last of its declared chemical weapons in late June 2014, just making the deadline set in September 2013. While the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons praised Syria for complying, especially during war time, it cautioned that Syria has yet to destroy its chemical weapon production facilities and there may still be undeclared weapons in the country. It is also investigating reports that Syria dropped bombs containing chlorine. While chlorine is not a banned substance, use of it as a weapon would violate the international chemical weapons treaty it signed in 2013.